A short drive from the centre of Auckland can take you to the forest walks of the Waitakere Ranges, the wild beaches of the west coast, or the white sands and calmer seas of the beautiful northern beaches. A slightly longer drive can transport you to an award-winning wine region, an arty country town or a remarkable marine reserve. A 30-minute ferry trip can land you on a gulf island – volcanic Rangitoto, wine-loving Waiheke, historic Motuihe or the bird sanctuary of Tiritiri Matangi.

Closer to town are Eden Park and Mt Smart stadiums, popular haunts for the city’s many rugby and cricket fans. For those who want to connect with the cultural offerings of Auckland (aside from our own beautiful Museum), there is the Auckland Art Gallery, Maritime Museum, MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology) and many other smaller galleries to enjoy. The Edge and Vector Arenas are Auckland’s premier performing arts, convention, civic and entertainment facilities. These centres offer large and small-scale theatrical and musical productions and, of course, host visiting musicians and bands.

There is no shortage of café culture, shopping or dining options in Auckland. The city has a great selection of cafés, bars and restaurants to enjoy. There are chic, upmarket shopping precincts and inner-city markets on offer, or you can enjoy the down-to-earth buzz of local markets in Otara and Avondale.

Auckland is also home to some of the best schools in New Zealand, ranging from unique early childhood centres to world-ranked universities, such as University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology. A number of New Zealand universities based outside Auckland also have a campus in the city.

All things considered, it’s easy to understand why one in three New Zealanders (more than 1.3 million) lives in the Big Little City.

The population of Auckland continues to grow and is becoming increasingly diverse. Although the European ethnic group makes up the majority of the population, 11.1% of the city’s residents are of Māori descent. Auckland is also the largest Pacific Island city in the world! People from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and others make up the rest of the population and add to the cosmopolitan vibe that is Tāmaki Makaurau.

Life in Auckland

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Immigrating to New Zealand?

To find out all you need to know about immigrating to New Zealand, we suggest you start with the links below.

New Zealand Now - the New Zealand government's guide to living and working in New Zealand.